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Organisations
This page will list the various organisations not encompassed by the Alternian Empire that have a presence in the Or8weaver expanded universe. Loyalist Factions Empire's Wake The Empire's Wake is a loyalist faction formed from the remnants of the former Alternian Empire following its deposition by the Alternian Resistance Movement. The organisation was comprised primarily of secret loyalists and various "black project" groups unknown to all but the most senior ranking officials of the Empire. Their claim to power lied principally in the fact that Her Imperious Condescension Meenah Peixes was still alive and therefore was still the legitimate ruler of the Alternian Empire. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Revolutionary Factions Limeblood Rebels The limeblood rebels refers to any limebloods or trolls that actively supported them during the period of the Limeblood Rebellion. The limebloods, previously the ruling caste of the lowbloods, objected to the totalitarian practices of the newly crowned Empress Meenah Peixes. They, along with their supporters (most of which were jadebloods and yellowbloods, though some tealbloods and other lower bloods participated as well) believed that the Empress overstepped the bounds of her office by taking away rights of the lower castes and consolidating greater power with the Nautical Aristocracy. Unlike many revolutionary efforts in Alternian history, the limebloods did not push for the abdication of the empress, but rather a concession on her part to restore civil liberties to her lowblooded subjects. This further emphasised her non-negotiable stance when she crushed the rebellion, exterminated the entire limeblood caste, and legitimised institutional slavery programs for both the jadeblood and yellowblood castes (through the auxiliatrix parasite and helmsman systems). Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Corrax Syndicate Originaly composed of various members of the Imperious Admonistration under Magister Raveneye's order, the Corrax Syndicate became the foremost information brokerage organisation in the Alternian Empire, and has retained the position into the modern era. The Syndicate labels itself as an independent agency, and holds ties to virtually every major authority within the empire, including the Nautical Aristocracy and the Mirthful Church. Often times they have been hired to collect and manipulate the streams of information to benefit one group or another, with each group involved believing themselves to have the upper hand. In truth, the Corrax Syndicate's primary objective is to oversee the eventual overthrowing of the current leadership of Alternia in favour of a more equitable and sustainable alternative. As such, for centuries it has been pitting the major powers against each other all the while siphoning resources and support to revolutionary movements, including the Summoner's Rebellion and the Alternian Resistance Movement. Many facets of the Admonistration are still controlled or overseen by agents of the Syndicate, which is what allows them to remain more informed than any other organisation in the Empire. Known Members: Retton Corrax (Founder, First Leader, Deceased), Treise Corrax (Current Leader, Active), Liaara Tisoni (Agent, Active) Reference: Shadow Broker (Mass Effect) Sufferer's Legacy Established after the execution of the Sufferer, the Sufferer’s Legacy has remained hidden in the shadows of Alternian history for many generations. More specifically, the group was formed by the supporters and sympathisers of the Signless in 43 AS following the anonymous publication and distribution of the Disciple's writings about the Signless' teachings. With the coming of each new revolution, those that believe in the Signless’ message of a new peaceful world where highbloods would protect and help lowbloods, rather than subjugate and torment them, and an end to the violent persecution of the helpless rise again to fight against their oppressors. Their loyalty is to their fallen prophet, but the members of the Sufferer’s legacy will join whatever cause that might help further their ideals. It is through their silent intervention that the Sufferer’s genes were passed and his eventual descendant, the one foretold to deliver troll-kind, was able to be hatched. Known Members: Meulin Leijon (Co-Founder, Deceased), Retton Corrax (Co-Founder, Deceased), Latula Pyrope (Follower, Deceased), Milata Maryam (Follower, Deceased), Josani Serket (Follower, Deceased), Umiera Helios (Follower, Deceased) Signless' Mercy During the period of the Summoner’s Rebellion, a small group formed within the Sufferer’s Legacy dedicated to the treatment of the sick, wounded, and helpless. They organised in small outposts across the empire, staffed by trolls with notably deep medical and caretaking knowledge. Said to be led by a jadeblood with miraculous healing skills and rumoured to be the direct progeny of the Dolorosa, while the faction was not directly affiliated with the Rebellion, its dedication to the treatment and care for the weak, as well as the reverence placed for the Signless and his beliefs, placed the group firmly on the side of the rebels, even if they made no judgement of whom they treat. For this reason, the Mercy was hunted down by the Mirthful Church as a heretical order, and was destroyed in the final sweeps of the Rebellion. Most of the knowledge they kept was destroyed, but supposedly a great deal of the Empire's medical advances came from what little was salvaged from the organisation. Known Members: Milata Maryam (Founder and Head Caretaker, Deceased) Summoner's Rebellion The Summoner's rebellion began as the defection of a platoon of cavalreapers led by the Summoner, Rufioh Nitram, in 108 AS. Soon after, dissention in the ranks of the Alternian military, further bolstered by anti-Empire sentiment still remaining in the aftermath of the Limeblood Rebellion and Signless' Revolt, escallated the defection to a full scale civil war. As a result, the Summoner's rebellion exploded into a massive faction of rebels seeking to break off from the Alternian Empire. While militarily the organisation was remarkably organised and effective, ideologically the group did not hold a particularly consistent objective aside from opposition to the Imperial Throne and Her Imperious Condescension. This was especially true following the death of the Summoner in 143 AS. The final bastions of the Rebellion were crushed in coordinated efforts involving the full force of the Imperious Fleet, Mirthful Church, and loyal factions of the Imperious Army in 220 AS. Though the Summoner's Rebellion did not succeed in deposing the Empress, the damage caused during the Rebellion's active period forced the Empire to force all adult trolls off of Alternia, leading to a period of mass expansion and colonisation known as the Tidal Era. The actions of the Rebellion also fundamentally shifted the political landscape of the Empire. Known Members: Rufioh Nitram (Leader, Deceased), Retton Corrax (Secret Supporter, Deceased), Milata Maryam (Supporter, Deceased), Josani Serket (Supporter, Deceased) Alternian Resistance Movement Text. Known Members: Feferi Peixes (Leader, Active), Karkat Vantas (Leader, Active), Nepeta Leijon (Second In Command, Active), Sollux Captor (General, Active), Terezi Pyrope (High Justicar, Active), Tavros Nitram (General), Aradia Megido (Member, Active), Equius Zahhak (Member, Active) Successionists Successionists are those that support Feferi Peixes’ claim to the throne, but do not support or are indifferent to the goals of Karkat Vantas’ Alternian Resistance Movement. This faction consists mainly of seadwellers and highbloods who believe the revolution will succeed and therefore want to gain the soon-to-be-empress’ favour, but do not believe in the egalitarian ideals the revolution proposes. These individuals are generally not trusted by the other revolutionary factions, and are considered self-serving opportunists that happen to be on their side for the time being. Known Members: Eridan Ampora (Supposed Member, Active) Psychic Liberators Following the escalating tensions against psychic trolls on Alternia in the later stages of the Imperial Era that culminated in mass abductions of psychics by mysterious robots, an organisation formed by powerful psychic Astrea Maryam (with the assistance of several others) emerged as a voice against psychic oppression within the Alternian Empire. During its early stages, the group was a near militaristic organisation built to wage war against the various organisations supporting psychic kidnapping, slavery, and harvesting. Following their eragication however, the group seemed to deescallate to focus instead on more philanthropic and scientific enterprises. The Psychic Liberators seek to end the systematic oppression and discrimination faced by psychics within the Empire. There are many ways in which they do this, from establishing shelters to taking down organisations that exploit psychics, to researching ways to make their powers more manageable (particularly in wrigglerhood). Because psychics are so overwhelmingly lowblooded, Psychic Liberators generally align with the egalitarian Alternian Resistance Movement, and stress reform of institutions to aid psychics under a new prosperous regime. Liberators are not psychic supremacists, but believe that psychics deserve the opportunity to live normal lives like their non-psychic counterparts. Due to access to a sizeable amount of powerful technology, the Psychic Liberators are easily among the most well-equipped organisations, and the training of their elite make them a fearsome foe for any that might think to oppose them, though they are noteworthy in their abstinence in the use of force unless absolutely necessary. Known Members: Astrea Maryam (Founder, First Leader, Active), Callie Ohpeee (Second In Command, Active), Liaara Tisoni (Corrax Syndicate Liaison, Active), Garrus Vakari (Member, Active), Mordin Sollus (Member, Active), Kaidan Alenko (Alternian Resistance Movement Liaison, Active), Ashley Wilhem (Member, Active), Tallie Zhorah (Member, Active), Legion (Member, Active), Grunt (Member, Active), Jahcke (Member, Active) Seeker Factions Adventurer's Legion Text. Known Members: Jaykhe Harley (Founder, Retired), Sir Listar Hamlok (Founding Member, Retired), Leiren Creuze (Leader, Active) References: Pathfinder Society (Pathfinder) Relic Hunters Text. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Ancestor Seekers Text. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Dakhlans Text. Known Members: Urdnot Wrecks (Leader, Active), Characters#Hannes Steyen Hannes Steyen (Psi Division Leader, Active) Aspirant Soldiers The Aspirant Soldiers is an Alternian-based group dedicated to training trolls to become members of the Alternian Army. The group is comprised of many different barracks of varying size and covering different specialties, usually run by a veteran member on the cusp of adulthood (usually some kind of blueblood, though in some cases lower bloods have held instructor positions). In these barracks, aspirants are trained in the theory and practice of war and military discipline through rigorous regimens (based off of records of actual military training routines). It is taken for granted that members of the Aspirant Soldiers who manage to survive the training into adulthood will get into their preferred military designation. However, while these trolls are usually thoroughly disciplined and know much about the theory of war, they have not seen it first hand, and therefore are unfamiliar with its unique horrors. In this sense, Aspirant Soldiers are often easily broken upon having their perception of the glamorous Alternian military disenchanted, though in many cases this simply results in them becoming all the tougher for it. Prior to their deportation due to coming of age, aspirant soldiers often act as militia for the cities and locations where their outposts lie, though they are less concerned with acting as "public servants" and resent being confused for "common guards". Often times, they will engage in fierce rivalries between barracks, which sometimes mount into small scale wars, though they are usually fairly isolated and have few casualties beyond the Aspirants involved. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Hyperion Text. Known Members: Lilith Helios (Founder and First CEO, Resigned) Cerberus Founded as black division of Hyperion after the Summoner's Rebellion by Lilith Ohpeee with additional private support from Retton Corrax and the Corrax Syndicate, Cerberus is concerned with research specialised in psychics, experimental technologies, and potential weapons to be used for revolutionary purposes. Cerberus operates largely independently of Hyperion, but still relies on it for funding and resources. Known Members: Lilith Ohpeee (Founder and First CEO, Resigned), Roxyne Lelond (Head of R&D and Second CEO, Resigned) Rainbow Drinker Followers Text. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Limeblood Scholars Text. Known Members: Liaara Tisoni (Member, Active) Horrorterror Cultists The exact origin of the Cult of the Outer Gods (commonly referred to as the Cult of the Horrorterrors, and sometimes called the Order of Squi'dal) is unknown, but it is believed by some to have been originated by seadwellers that came into contact with the fushia-blooded lusus Gl'bgolyb, who has served as the lusus for the entirety of the royal Peixes line, and whose voice is said to be capable of destroying the entirety of the troll race. The cultists believe that Gl'bgolyb is an emissary for a grander pantheon of beasts known as the Outer Gods, that exist on the periphery of the universe in a realm referred to as the Outer Ring. Their influence is subtle but pervasive over the realms of mortals, and to approach them is to court madness. Those that follow the whispers of the emissary believe that upon the utterance of the "Vast Glub", the gods will cleanse the realm of trolls to begin anew. Their beliefs shares many similarities to those of the Mirthful Church and the limeblood faith, but emphasise a worship of the outer gods and the importance of their whims upon the realms of trolls. As they do not adhere to the tenets of the Mirthful Church, do not mandate loyalty to the crown (only the horrorterrors, which for the time being deem the Peixes worthy), and have been known to practice powerful witchcraft and sorcery, they are considered heretical and illegal, though the cult remains pervasive throughout the Empire as a secret religion, especially among seadwellers. In practice, the larger Cult is dedicated solely to the worship of the Outer Gods. Many branches worship particular gods, and thus their favoured deity flavours their worship. Certain more radical groups within the cult wish to incur the Vast Glub as a means of bringing about the will of the Outer Gods. One common attribute is the use of blood sacrifices to make pacts with the horrorterrors, usually to horrifying effect. Those who make a deal with the terrors will gain great power, but at a terrible cost, usually their sanity or their mortal soul. The dark magic that is associated with the horrorterrors can produce devastaticng and terrifying effects, making those foolish enough to go through with it extremely dangerous. In order to avoid detection, the cultists usually conceal their worship by using secret places of worship (such as a member's hive, a hidden shop deep in the cesspools of a city, or remote villages and caverns). Many secret means of communication exist to allow the cultists to identify each other, from symbols to turns of phrase. Others simply prefer to worship full time and reside far from any society. Either way, the cultists have become very good at concealing themselves and the power they might weild, but their fanatisism and access to dark magic powers make them very dangerous elements within the Empire. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Umbral Witches Text. Known Members: Cereza Bayone (Member, Abandoned) Bandit Factions Psychic Harvesters Text. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Gambligants Gambligant refers to an ancient group of unsanctioned sea-faring (and later space-faring) thieves that engaged in thievery and various other illegal activities. For the larger part of their history, they were an unorganised group of independent thieves (some of which, such as the Marquise Spinneret Mindfang, achieved infamy for their feats) that would as soon steal from each other as they would private and imperial vessels. As time went on however, certain structures of leadership developed, culminating in the Gambligant Fleet under the command of Admiral Josani Serket during the Summoner's Rebellion. In the final sweeps of the rebellion, the Fleet was destroyed in a massive battle with the Imperial Navy and gambligants largely ceased to exist in any meaningful capacity. However the group saw a revival during the Alternian Resistance Movement, with many ships choosing to support the revolution indirectly as privateers. During the time of the Gambligant Fleet, ships followed a surprisingly diplomatic system, though since the destruction of the fleet the organisational structure returned to its earlier state and became much more loose, varying immensely from ship to ship. A standard gambligant ship's internal role structure is as follows: Reference: Pirates Known Members *'Mindfang's Ship:' Aranea Serket (Captain), Perses Helios (Sailor) *'Josani's Ship:' Josani Serket (Captain), Varric Tethra (Quartermaster), Perses Helios (Sailor, Occasional) *'Vriska's Ship:' Vriska Serket (Captain), Arnhad Dehion (Security Officer), Jehhan Egbert (Pilot), Rozaya Lelond (Science Officer, Abandoned), Ghaige (Engineering Officer), Karein Chakwa (Medical Expert) *'Dai-Gunzan:' Kamina Jeehah (Captain), Simone Jeehah (Quartermaster), Yohkoh Litner (Security Officer) *'Sanctuary:' Sir Listar Hamlok (Captain, Pilot), Roland (Quartermaster), Lilith (Shipswain, Cook), Mordec (Security Officer), Parica Tannis (Engineering Officer, Science Officer) Merchants of Mu Text. Ships and Transports Text. Known Members: Admiral Darius Barbos (Mu Lord, Current) References: Info Luxuries and Finery Text. Known Members: Madam Malika Hamati (Mu Lady, Current) References: Info Pleasure and Entertainment Text. Known Members: Ornele Severa (Mu Lady, Current) References: Info Food and Produce Text. Known Members: Wallen Crashi (Mu Lord, Current) References: Info Drink and Narcotics Text. Known Members: Bianca Hanani (Mu Lady, Current) References: Info Weapons and Armaments Text. Known Members: Kaneio Takara (Mu Lord, Current) References: Info Omega As the primary den of black market dealings, Omega has cultivated its own internal power structure based on a combination of military and financial power. In the past, rival gangs would fight over the various districts of the cities, and leadership was determined through these territories, though this proved highly unstable and as a result leadership of Omega would cycle regularly between the major gangs. However, since the Afterlife organisation was taken over by a seadweller named Ariana Tiloak, the city rapidly fell under her control and has remained generally stable. While the gangs still fight over territories, it doesn't interfere as significantly in Omega's affairs, as Afterlife remains capable of sustaining profits. For the most part, each gang of Omega specialises in a particular subset of business domains and is dominated by one or two castes. It is possible for trolls to join a group that does not match their caste, though this is not particularly common practice. These gangs also do not necessarily operate solely within Omega and can be found in various regions on Alternia, but in most cases the city serves as their primary base of operations. Afterlife Prior to Ariana's arrival, Afterlife was a modestly powerful organisation led primarily by purplebloods that specialised in managing prostitution, brothels, liquor, and clubs in and around Omega. They relied primarily on slaves and indentured servants for their labour. During this time, Afterlife was not of particular note, as most of its dealings relied on other gangs within the city to provide the resources. However, with Ariana's (sometimes called "Aria" or the "Empress of Omega") arrival, Afterlife expanded its business to become significantly more diverse (it is notable as being the only and with any significant seadweller presence) and largely self-sufficient, mostly through subversive acquisition of supplies and tools formerly belonging to the other gangs of Omega. No one is entirely certain how Ariana managed this, but it has come to be known that Afterlife's agents are among the most capable and deadly when it comes to tactical assassinations and manipulation. It is said that Afterlife employs spies and assassins from the neighbouring city of Psi as dancers and courtesans, owing to Aria's uncanny ability to know everything going on in the city, though few are bold enough to make the claim aloud (and those that do rarely make it more than once). Officially, Afterlife is fronted by the eponymous Afterlife Dance Club, which serves as the base of operations for the gang and as a diplomatic hub for all major affairs in Omega. Afterlife acts as the mediator between the gangs. No deal is made in Omega without Afterlife getting a cut, and in exchange, Afterlife sees to it that the gangs are kept from destroying each other. Known Members: Ariana Tiloak (Leader, Current), Leiren Creuze (Agent, Abandoned) References: Afterlife Club (Mass Effect), Girls of Old Town (Sin City) Blue Suns The Blue Suns Mafia are a highly organised and militaristic group operated primarily by blue and cerulean blooded trolls. Their specialties lie in protection rackets and gambling, though they have been known to perform other tasks more akin to traditional mercenary work. The Blue Suns draw from a mixture of blueblood ideals of propriety and military discipline. As a result the gang employs a strict hierarchy system and is easily the most self-controlled of the gangs, to the point of almost being orderly and stable. They are also the most finacially inclined, using pseudo-legitimate fronts for many of their illicit activities. That said, they remain as ruthless as any of the other gangs, and while they are predictable in their methods, it does not make them any less intimidating. Most notable is their practice of trading in "favours", whereupon someone who becomes indebted to them due to a loan or service will inevitably become unwittingly sucked into their organisation until they are unable to separate themselves from it. To be unable to repay the Suns is considered a gruesome death sentence for the troll in question as well as everyone and everything they hold dear. Many high ranking members of the Blue Suns are said to be descendants of infamous gangsters, and the value of prestigious bloodlines is value highly. Some entire sections of the Suns (called "families") operate largely independently of each other and have their own loyal subordinates. This factionalism surprisingly rarely gets in the way of them cooperating when put under order from the higher ranks, as needless rabble-rousing and destructive infighting are met with swift discipline. A lack of "respect" is considered a grievously punishable offense, regardless of the perpetrator. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Reference: Blue Suns (Mass Effect), Sicilian Mafia Talons Green and Teal. Deal in smuggling and weapons. Subtle and deceitful. Leiren worked with them for a time before swapping to Afterlife to join Ariana. Known Members: Leiren Creuze (Smuggler, Defected) References: Blue Suns (Mass Effect), Italian Mafia Eclipse Eclipse is one of the major gangs of Omega and is comprised primarily of yellow bloods. Their specialties lie in psychics and technology. Almost every member of the gang is either psychic or possesses some talent or tool that relates to psychic powers. Most of Eclipse's operations relate to psychics and technology, as well as drugs and tools that enhance these aspects of their arsenal. This most commonly takes the form of abduction, theft, smuggling, scavenging, and production. They also frequently take on jobs that could only be properly executed by psychics (such as telepathically enhanced interrogations). Many members of the gang use implants and transplanted organs from their victims, and it is not uncommon to find Eclipse members with mismatched artificial and transplanted limbs. As a result of their expertise, Eclipse is strongly affiliated with psychic harvesting (in fact, Eclipse itself is generally considered to be a psychic harvesting organisation), and many psychics that join their ranks do so as a means to avoid being abducted by them instead. While Eclipse's access to scavenged technology and psychics does give them a superiority over the other gangs in terms of weaponry, they lack the military discipline of the Blue Suns, the resourcefulness of the Talons, and the blood lust of the Blood Pack. Many members of the organisation are drug addicts or so deeply burdened by their own powers as to be unable to survive outside of the gang. It is rumoured that those that join Eclipse are brainwashed through drugs or cranial implants as a means of ensuring loyalty (or at least dependance), though none have yet been able to prove this. The structure of the organisation is largely technocratic, with positions being given to those with the most relevant skills. In this manner, psychics are effectively encouraged to use performance enhancers to get ahead in the gang, which in turn can lead to the aforementioned dependance. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) References: Eclipse (Mass Effect), Harvesters (Deus Ex), Mexican Drug Cartels, Chinese Organ Harvesters Blood Pack Composed of red, brown, and on some rare occasions purple bloods, the Blood Pack are easily the most violent and chaotic of the Omega gangs. Originally a weak and disorganised maroon gang, the arrival of a particularly vicious highblood that had been excommunicated from the Mirthful Church for "overzealousness" brought about a change. The highblood molded the group to reflect the lowblood's anger at an unjust world, and his own rage at losing his status (in supplement to his already excessively violent nature). Some notions of the Mirthful Church were also incorporated, though to such a perverse degree that even many among the Church consider it to be plain sadistic blasphemy. The Blood Pack quickly developed into a powerful engine of anarchist fury, and quickly rose to become one of the major gangs of Omega and the surrounding region. The group is notably powerful in Rargh, where there are massive maroon and brown blooded populations. The Blood Pack deal mostly in pit fighting, hired muscle, robery, extortion, torture, abduction, and slavery. They are notable for taking on jobs most other gangs would not touch, and are completely without scruples. It is generally known that anyone hiring the Blood Pack must either fund them well, or provide them with ample work, lest they grow bored and decide to turn on their employer. Because of their relatively low blood status, most members of the Blood Pack are borderline suicidal in their aggression, showing no sense of self preservation or care for collateral damage or friendly fire. It is solely due to the sheer size and power of their organisation that they legitimised in the eyes of the other gangs. Otherwise, they are considered no better than common thugs with psychopathic tendencies. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) References: Blood Pack (Mass Effect), Russian Mafia, Irish Mob Roanapur Triads Text. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Hotel Moscow Text. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status) Lagoon Company Text. Known Members: Entry (Role, Status)